The Roth option for the Thrift Savings Plan, which was announced earlier this week, will be delayed for employees in the Defense Department and other agencies. Originally set for a May 7 launch, members of the military may have to wait as late as October to choose the option.

The Roth option for the Thrift Savings Plan, which will allow federal employees to contribute after-tax dollars toward their retirement-savings accounts, will launch May 7, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board announced today. The board, which first began planning the Roth TSP in June 2009 when it was authorized, made the announcement at its quarterly meeting of TSP coordinators.

Thrift Savings Plan figures continued to climb in the early months
of 2012, as nearly all funds posted positive numbers for the month of
March and for the year. Only the F Fund dipped into the negative at the
end of the month.

How would you like it if your Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals were tax-free? Well, get ready because the tax-free end-of-the-rainbow Roth option is coming to your optional retirement package, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

Tom Trabucco, the director of external affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which oversees federal employees' TSP accounts, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss some TSP tips for retiring feds.

Not sure about how much you need to save for retirement? A new online tool from the Office of Personnel Management helps feds figure out how to plan and includes projections for annuities and Thrift Savings Plan benefits.

Ever hear of a double-header brain drain? The government is losing two of its best to retirement this month. Odds are they've touched your life, whether you are in a federal agency or a foxhole 3,000 miles away, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.